I just now got an automated phone call from the election committee of Boulder City Council candidate George Karakehian, which followed by a week or so a similar call from Barry Siff’s committee.

Mr. Karakehian’s funds roughly equal the amount raised by the next two most successful fundraisers [chart table] (Mr. Siff being the second most successful), and none of the three are abiding with a voluntary program in which they agree to limit spending in exchange for matching funds.

So there we have two good reasons, an annoying phone call and an implicit statement that they think they can buy an election*, to eliminate Mr. Karakehian and Mr. Siff from among the 13 candidates competing for our votes.

Thank you both so much for simplifying my decision.

* Just as a point of reference, in the 2007 City Council election, Ken Wilson received 9,815 votes, the most of any candidate. Mr. Karakehian has raised (so far) enough to buy 9,815 votes at $3.15/per–not that he ever would, of course, I’m just sayin’.